Does anyone have suggestions on how to keep the camera secure without lugging the entire rig with us everywhere we go?
The only advice I can offer is to choose accommodations with as a many security-friendly features as possible to discourage theft.
Look for:
- 24/7 presence of resident owners, managers, and/or security staff.
- Second floor or higher apartments with locked access to the ground-level entry.
- Gated or otherwise restricted access to the property grounds.
- Wall safe securely attached (i.e. bolted) to the building that's big enough to accommodate laptops and cameras.
- Adjoining or nearby accommodations regularly occupied by residents or tourists.
- Bars or reinforced louvers on doors and windows. Anything to prevent quick smash-and-grab entry.
- Recommendations and reviews from others indicating the above.
Avoid:
- Remote VRBO properties with nobody living on the property full time. Occupation of the property indicates to thieves that tourists are present and will leave the property unprotected sooner or later.
- Ground-level accommodations with windows or doors accessible out of public view. Sliding glass doors are the easiest to breach.
- Small tin-can wall safes attached with screws. it's too easy to remove the entire safe with a crowbar and open it elsewhere.
- Leaving items in plain sight and/or curtains open while you're away.
- Leaving expensive items out while housekeeping staff are present. Most all are honest, but there's no reason to tempt fate.
- Be cautious about recommendations and reviews from others based on feelings, rather than actual specifics. E.g. "We didn't see any signs of crime during our visit and we felt very safe" isn't the same as "We felt very safe knowing that the security guard was making rounds once an hour".
You probably won't find all of the desirable criteria above in one property. You'll have to use your judgement regarding which are most important depending on other characteristics of the property.
Most thieves are looking for items they can easily resell or use themselves. Cash,cameras, smartphones, laptops, and flatscreen TV's are common targets. Your underwater camera housing cost you a bundle but it'd probably be hard for them to resell. If there's not room in your wall safe for the housing you'd probably be okay hiding it in a closet or under the bed while you're out during the evening.
Honestly, the vast majority of what you hear is hype. Do crimes happen, yes they do but no where near the level some on the internet would have you believe. Don't leave gear in a vehicle and don't make a show of your gear at your resort and you will be fine. If I were are staying at a sucluded house I would be a little more cautious but at any of the resorts you are very unlikely to have issues. This is based on 24+ trips since 99 include 2 last year with groups ranging from 2 to 24.
This is exactly what I was talking about above... some people report feeling "safe" because they haven't seen crime on the island firsthand. I'd be willing to buy into this line of thinking if the facts supported it, but personally I don't think they do. We've been visiting Bonaire regularly for 17 years and our only incident was a cheap pair of sunglasses stolen from our truck while diving. But that doesn't means crime isn't occurring regularly and/or with increasing frequency. I'm not asking anyone to just take my word for it. You can check out
Bonaire's police blotter online or read the paraphrased English translations on
Forum Bonaire's Facebook page.
Here are a few recent examples:
"On Wednesday February 5th at around 00:50hrs, the police received a report of a burglary at a home on Kaya Aripuana. A grey HP laptop was stolen."
"On Thursday February 6th between 16:00hrs and 20:15hrs, a white Yamaha scooter was stolen from a property on Kaya CEB Hellmund. The case is under investigation." (That's the oceanfront street near the cruise ships.)
"Thieves broke into a tourist accommodation situated on Bulevar Gobernador Nicolaas Debrot between 23.00hrs on February 2nd, 0 and 08.00hrs on February 3rd. Access to the apartment was gained through a rear sliding door that was not locked. The burglars escaped with a quantity of dive gear." (That's the main road to the resorts and other places north of town.)
"On Sunday, February 3rd at around 16:40 pm, the police received a report of a burglary at a tourist accommodation on Kaya Papago. Stolen from the apartment were passports, an iPad, a green & black backpack and cash."
"At around 02.00hrs on Sunday February 2nd, thieves stole the left tail light from a Toyota Hilux parked on The Kaya C.E.B. Hellmund on Sunday, February 2. The lamp was unscrewed and the wiring removed."
"On Saturday February 1st between 18.00hrs & 22.00hrs, a house on Punt Vierkant was broken in to. Stolen was a laptop, a phone, chargers and a pocket knife."
"On Friday January 31st at around 8:30pm, police received a report of a burglary at a tourist accommodation on EEC Boulevard. A laptop, iPad and a digital camera were stolen. From the garden of the property next door, items including bank cards, scuba certification, reading glasses and various papers of the victims were found. The case is under investigation." (That's the main road south of town to resorts and accommodations in the Belnem area.)
"On Friday January 31st between 07:00hrs and 14:45hrs, thieves broke into a house on Kaya Roermond. Taken was a spare house key and car key. The perpetrators then trashed the house."
"On Friday January 31st, around 00:50hrs, police received a report that the manager of Caribbean Club Hill top was attacked by two unknown men. There were no injuries. The investigation is on going."
And so it goes... Do you still think this is mostly hype? I'm a huge fan of Bonaire and most of it's wonderful people. We spent 4 weeks there last year and are already committed to another 3 weeks this year. But it is what it is.
